A NATO country is bidding to join BRICS, a group that has Russia as its member. The irony is striking, isn’t it?
Turkey is literally sick of the European Union and the US, their false promises and assurances. Now, its leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan wants to boost Ankara’s global influence and forge new ties beyond the West.
Erdogan has realised that the geopolitical center of gravity is shifting away from developed economies towards nations like China, India and Russia.
According to a Bloomberg report, Turkey is believed to have submitted an application to join BRICS some months ago.
The reason? Turkey is visibly frustrated over a lack of progress in its decades-old bid to join the European Union. Additionally, Turkey’s beef with fellow NATO nations over ties with Russia has also angered Erdogan.
So, he declared last week that to become prosperous, Ankara must have good ties with both the East and the West.
He said, “Turkey can become a strong, prosperous, prestigious and effective country if it improves its relations with the East and the West simultaneously.”
He added, “Any method other than this will not benefit Turkey, but will harm it.”
Well, that’s true!
Turkey’s economy is in the doldrums for last half-a-decade now. It urgently needs a booster shot. A BRICS membership may provide it with some oxygen.
Economic data released on September 2 showed that Turkey’s economic growth slowed to the weakest pace since the coronavirus crisis four years ago. The country’s GDP increased at an annual rate of 2.5 per cent in the second quarter. It’s several percentage points lower than the downwardly revised 5.3 per cent in the first three months of this year.
Turkey’s war on inflation is exerting an increasingly heavy toll on major sectors across the country’s $1tn economy. The interest rates of 50 per cent are heaping pressure on businesses and households.
Inflation looks like a never-ending crisis for the Turkish economy.
But, Erdogan hopes to fix it with the help from Russia and China.
Turkey believes joining the BRICS could help the country improve economic cooperation with Russia and China, and become a trade conduit between the EU and Asia.
It wants to be a hub for gas exports out of Russia and Central Asia.
Erdogan is also hoping to get investments from Chinese electric carmakers.
You see, Erdogan’s dreams may only come true if Turkey gets a full-time BRICS membership after the approval from founder-member countries.
Un oh! That’s where the problem begins.
Let’s not forget that Erdogan is a rabid Islamist. His support to extremist regimes in Pakistan as well as Azerbaijan is well-known. Both of these nations are arch rivals of India, who is a prominent founder-member of BRICS.
Turkey has also raked up the issue of Kashmir on the platforms like G20 and UN.
In fact, in the ongoing Israel-Gaza war, Turkey has openly thrown its weight behind Hamas.
Erdogan’s son, Bilal Erdogan, was recently heard labeling Jews as a race condemned by God.
He also predicted that the conflict with Hamas in Gaza would lead to the downfall of both Israel and the United States, a view shared by antisemites worldwide. Thanks to his father’s near-absolute rule in Turkey, Bilal Erdogan wields significant influence over government affairs, helping to shape both domestic and foreign policy.
So, Erdogan is a long-time ally of Islamists and a rival of peace-loving countries such as India and the US. Even former US president Donald Trump had a shaky relationship with him.
So, it’s highly likely that India would shoot down Turkey’s request to join BRICS, upholding rule of law and the international order.